Laoma nerissa
| Laoma nerissa | |
|---|---|
| Living Laoma nerissa seen in Titirangi, Auckland, New Zealand | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Order: | Stylommatophora |
| Family: | Punctidae |
| Subfamily: | Laominae |
| Genus: | Laoma |
| Species: | L. nerissa
|
| Binomial name | |
| Laoma nerissa (F. W. Hutton, 1883)
| |
| Synonyms[1][2] | |
| |
Laoma nerissa is a species of land snail belonging to the family Punctidae.[1] First described in 1883, the species is endemic to New Zealand.
Description
In the original description, Hutton described the species as follows:
Pale horny, with indistinct bands of chestnut; spire conoidal, obtuse; suture margined; sub-perforate; a columellar plait and six parietal plaits, three of which are on the basal margin; diameter 0.11 in (2.8 mm).[3]
L. nerissa has a shell measuring 2.32 mm (0.091 in) with a height of 1.41 mm (0.056 in). The shell is trochiform, carinated, narrowly umbilicated, and has five whorls. The pustulate protoconch has 1.5–1.75 whorls and 10–12 spiral lirae. The lirae are broken up by irregular oblique axial ridges, which creates a beaded sculpture for the shells. It can be distinguished from other members of Laoma due to its two long parietal lamellae (the upper being larger), a long palatal lamella above and parallel to the three large basal lamellae, and stronger protoconch and teleoconch sculpture and carina.[2]
Taxonomy
The species was described by Frederick Hutton in 1883, under the name Endodonta nerissa.[3] The holotype was collected from Remuera, Auckland by Thomas Cheeseman.[2] In 1891, the species was moved to Phrixgnathus (Laoma) by Henry Suter, and in the same publication synonymised with Laoma marina. Suter believed the species was a juvenile form of L. marina.[4][5] Frank Climo reinstated the species in 2019, due to shell and reproductive anatomy differences.[2]
Distribution and habitat
L. nerissa is endemic to New Zealand, occurring between Auckland and Wellington on the North Island, and the Marlborough District and Nelson on the upper South Island.[2][6]
Gallery
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Lateral view of living L. nerissa
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Top-down view of living L. nerissa
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Shell in soil in Upper Hutt
References
- ^ a b Laoma nerissa (F. W. Hutton, 1883). Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 6 November 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Climo, Frank; Mahlfeld, Karin; Payton, Ian; Roscoe, David (2019). "Description of Laoma ordishi new species (Eupulmonata: Punctidae) and reinstatement of Laoma nerissa (Hutton, 1883)". Papahou: Records of the Auckland Museum. 54: 63–80. doi:10.32912/RAM.2019.54.4. ISSN 1174-9202. JSTOR 26850637. Wikidata Q104814755.
- ^ a b Hutton, F.W. (1883). "Notes on some New Zealand land shells". New Zealand Journal of Science. 1 (10): 476 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
- ^ Suter, H. (1891). "Art. XIX.—Contributions to the Molluscan Fauna of New Zealand". Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 24: 270-278 – via Papers Past.
- ^ Suter, H. (1891). "Art. XXII.—Miscellaneous Communications on New Zealand Land and Fresh-water Mollusca". Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 24: 283-286 – via Papers Past.
- ^ "Laoma nerissa (Hutton, 1883)". New Zealand Mollusca. Retrieved 6 November 2025.